Commencement

Friday, May 22 at 2:00pmGreek TheatreSpeaker: John Stroup, CEO of Belden Inc.

All events are scheduled RAIN or SHINE!

Caps, Gowns, Hoods & Tassels

There are four items that you need for Commencement:

Cap

Gown

Hood (Light Brown)

Tassel

They are sold as a package called the Master Gown Package which costs $87 (plus tax). There are two ways to purchase these items:

You can order your Master Gown Package online and have the items shipped to you, or you can pick them up in the store. There is free ground shipping. Please note: You will need to provide your height, degree and department in the special instruction field on the review and order page.

Starting on March 15, 2015, you can purchase and pick up your regalia in one visit to the Graduation Department of The Student Store (2470 Bancroft between Telegraph and Dana). We recommend that you visit the store during off-peak hours, such as early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid long lines. Please allow at least 1/2 hour to order and pick-up your regalia.

Please note: Light brown is the color of the hood for the MBA degree. Samples will be available in the MBA Program Office if you want to see the items.

Ceremony

The Commencement ceremony will be held in the Hearst Greek Theatre on Friday, May 22 at 2:00pm. No tickets are needed for the ceremony and you may invite an unlimited number of guests. Seating for the ceremony is general admission. Please remember to tell your guests that the Greek Theatre is an outdoor amphitheatre and to plan appropriately.

At 1:00pm, graduates should be ready at the South end of the back stage area. Pick up a program when you enter the Greek Theatre, proceed to the MBA table and pick up an index card. You will write your name on this card as you want it to be announced when you walk across the stage. There is no special seating order for the MBA graduates. You will be in a single file line when you go out of the gate, so be sure to stand either in front of or behind the person you wish to sit with.

At 2:00pm, Pomp and Circumstance will begin and the MBA graduates will march out into the seating areas. Each degree program will recognize their top student and each will have a student speaker. Full-time MBA graduates will walk across the stage, have their name read, receive a scroll, and have their picture taken with Dean Rich Lyons before proceeding back to the seating area. Children are welcome to accompany you as you cross the stage (hold their hand or carry them). You can have family or friends bring the children to you at the point right before you go up on stage. Then, after you go across, have them meet you at the other end of the stage to meet the children and take them back to their seats. We ask that all students stay for the entire ceremony.

The ceremony will last approximately two hours.

Restrooms are located at both ends of the amphitheater. A wheelchair-accessible restroom is located inside the North entrance.

The commencement will also be live-streamed. Please use the following link to watch: LIVE STREAM

Reception Follows the Ceremony

A champagne reception will be held in the courtyard at the Haas School of Business from 4:00 PM-5:30 PM, immediately following the ceremony. You may enter the reception for free by wearing your cap and gown. Each student will be given two free tickets for guests. You may invite as many additional guests as you wish at a cost of $5.00 per ticket. Children five and under are admitted for free. Free and purchased tickets can be picked up in the MBA Program office from May 4-May 21.

Wheelchair Access or Special Seating

Wheelchair and seating for guests with special needs (few or no stairs) is available in the Greek Theatre at all entrances. When your guest enters the Greek Theatre, they should ask an usher or staff member to escort them to the special seating area. One wheelchair is available in the Greek Theatre to transport guests with special needs to their seats. Due to space constraints, Cal Performances can only guarantee seating for one companion for each guest in the special seating area. Please note that although the Greek Theatre is a wheelchair accessible venue, it is large and steep and we recommend that guests needing extra assistance have an escort.

Parking

General parking for your guests will be available in the following locations:

Handicap Parking & Accessibility

If your guest has a Handicapped Parking placard, parking is available for $10* (cash only) on a first come-first served basis in the Bowles Hall Lot (adjacent to the South side of the Greek Theatre).

If your guest does not have a Handicapped Parking placard, we recommend that you drop your guest off in the loading zone in front of the North entrance to the Greek Theatre on Gayley Road. This is the designated Handicapped entrance to the Greek Theatre. One wheelchair is available in the Greek Theatre to transport guests with special needs to their seats.

Ordering a Diploma and Transcripts

The ceremonial scroll you receive at Commencement is not a diploma. Degrees take several months to process. Your diploma comes from the University and will not be available until the fall, approximately four months after your graduation date. Your diploma will be automatically mailed to you when it becomes available, so please ensure that your permanent address is updated in Bearfacts.